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What a Christmas It Is!


Seasons Greetings from Texas, 

     I wish a joy-filled holiday season to all of the fine folks, fans, friends, and familia from around the world from the bottom of my heart. With people like you in my corner "Every Day Is Christmas."

     This past year that followed Christmas of 2018 focused on the writing, rehearsing, recording, and releasing of For the Love of Western Swing (& Other Love Songs). It proved to be quite the worthwhile and rewarding effort in that it has led to great reviews and media coverage and also to my 14th tour of Europe, in May and June of 2020. We've confirmed these dates so far:

  • Terrassa/Barcelona, Spain, 

  • Laufen/BL, Switzerland,

  • Siegershausen/TG, Switzerland, 

  • Untermeitingen, Germany, 

  • Bad Ischl, Austria (two nights!)

  • Orpund, Switzerland

  • Gisikon/LU  (Swiss Line Dance Event)

  • Bettenhausen/BE,  Switzerland (two nights!)

  • Liebefeld/BE, Switzerland

  • Schwarzenegg/BE, Switzerland

     My family, like yours, has had its share of positive moments and struggles both. But we always manage to rise above the obstacles that life presents. We certainly appreciate having you on our side. Yvonna and I wish you a most wonderful time of the year and we ask you to remember those who may be spending the holidays alone. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,

john Arthur & Yvonna

What a Christmas It Was! 

By john Arthur martinez

Mama left daddy early Christmas Eve 

when he came home late with too much to drink

And I know now she did what she had to do

My sister and me didn’t understand 

but daddy wasn’t ready to be a man

So mama drove us back to the safest place she knew

The farmhouse smelled of homemade bread

instead of daddy’s beer and cigarettes and

everybody prayed for my mama my sister & me

On Christmas day we filled our souls 

at the cowboy church & grandma stove 

and the magic underneath that cedar tree

And what a Christmas it was

What a Christmas it was

No angry words no mamas tears and no one drank a drop of beer

What a Christmas it was

What a Christmas it was

No broken plates or promises

it was all about the birth of Christ

And what a Christmas it was!

Between my grandma’s cookin’ and the sing-alongs

My sister and me felt like we really belonged

And we sure ate up everything my grandpa said

We opened the gifts Grandma made from scratch

Hours of love with devoted hands

A dress for my sister, a quilt for my mama’s bed

Then Grandpa smiled and winked at me

Said, "Son there's something you'll wanna see."

Almost stepped on his heels as I followed him to the shed

And there it was. A shiny boys bike

No it wasn't brand new but man what a ride

With training wheels and a fresh coat of fire truck red!

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